Four Years
by WofOZ
Summary: Slow times at Five-0 allow them to focus on just what makes them the seemless team they are. A team that was only possible because of their half-cocked slightly O.C.D. Navy SEAL commander. Come hell or a laced mail bag, they'd be there for one another 100%. Steve? He just wants to know what's in that damn box on Danny's desk...


**Another one shot! This is to honor another season coming up! **

**Anyone remember that episode when Steve _needs_ to know what Danny has in the paper bag and it turns out to be a simple salad? Yeah that's where the inspiration for this story came from**

**Enjoy!**

**OZ**

* * *

Steve McGarrett took a calming deep breath. As a sniper, he was trained to feel the world around you with every one of your available senses. To aim with perfect accuracy you needed to not only know the exact point you were planning to hit but also be able to in vision the shot taking place in your mind. You forgot about the time space continuum for a while and focused completely on the shot at hand.

There would be no room for error. There would be no chance to say "opps, can I try that again?" and there would definitely be no forgiveness should he fail. When you got to his skill level, with a history that he had, mission failure was not an option. He would accept no less of himself then 100% satisfaction.

The former Navy SEAL took one more steadying breath, ignoring any and all distractions coming from around him. He took aim, saw the shot... and fired.

The crumpled up wad of paper didn't just hit it's target, it didn't even have to ricochet of the rim of the waste basket.

"BOOYAH!" Steve hollered throwing his hands up in the air. He spun around to his irked looking Jersey partner who had his arms folded across his broad chest.

"Best two out of three?" Danny asked. Steve chuckled and shook his head holding out his hand.

"No way Danno," he smirked. "You measured, that trash bin is exactly thirty feet away and I hit 100 shots in a row. Pay up buddy!" With a grunt and an eye roll, the detective pulled out his wallet and forked over a nice crispy ten-dollar bill.

"There goes Grace's allowance," Danny sighed. Steve was about to put away the money in his own pocket when he froze at the comment and stared down his partner.

"That's not fair… using your kid… that's not fair," he spat. It took a second but then Danny burst out laughing and shook his head.

"No it's not but the look on your face was most definitely worth it," he replied. Now it was Steve's turn to roll his eyes as he finished pocketing his spoils and then ambled over to the waste bin to bring it back to his office.

At the moment, it seemed like all the major crime on the Islands of Hawaii had taken a vacation. It had been almost a week and a half since Steve had last spoken to the Governor regarding a case. Then the team mates of Five-0 came to work, finished paperwork and shockingly went home at a normal hour. However even that eventually ran out and now, four days after all conceivable paperwork was finished and filed, things were starting to go a bit off the rails.

It was Friday morning and if Steve didn't shoot something soon, someone was going to have to shoot him. Not that no crime was a bad thing, it actually felt good to think society was behaving itself if only for a little bit but Steve was a man of action. His team was a team of action and right now, there was no action to be had. So they'd started creating their own fun.

At first, it was solitaire and video games on the smart table and then it had degraded into "who's better at what". Now Kono was in her office folding paper cranes for yet another cousins wedding. Chin was on the phone to an Auntie on the Big Island and Danny and Steve finished up their game of "Who can hit 100 paper balls into a waste basket."

Returning the waste basket Steve headed back over to Danny's office where the detective had retreated after his loss.

Plopping himself down in the chair opposite his partner, Steve folded his hands behind his head.

"So what do we do now?" he asked. Danny smirked and reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a file.

"We could go over the annual budget," he replied. Steve frowned and sat forward.

"We have an annual budget?" he asked.

"Yes Steven, it's the one I have to pry from the Governor's hands when he demands to know why we spent almost a grand on new cell phone's last year... or why ammunition takes up a quarter of our budget," Danny replied. Pursing his lips Steven tried to recall the last time he'd had to discuss the budget with anyone.

"Where have I been during these meetings?" he asked. Danny's brow flattened out.

"Using ammunition and destroying cell phones," he replied dryly. "That or your eyes glaze over and you look like a scared rabbit." Giving one of his patented grins, Steve sat back again appreciating his partner.

"Have I ever told you how much I value your professionalism?" To that Danny shook his head and pointed to his door.

"Get out," he replied. "I'm done with you taking my money for sport. Shoo!" Steve allowed himself another chuckle before standing up and turning to the door. Maybe he could go to the gun locker and clean a few of his favorite weapons.

"Mail call!" Steve was just in time to open Danny's office door when Akumela the H.P.D.'s mail carrier came through.

"Hey Aku, just in time," Steve smiled. "What do have for me?" he said eyeballing the medium size package under the man's arm. The mail carrier smiled before placing the package on Danny's desk.

"Sorry Commander, this one's for the Detective," he replied. "I left your letters on your desk."

"Ah they'll have to do," Steve said waving him off. Handing over a few more letters, the two Five-O officers said their goodbyes and were once again alone. "What's in the package?" Steve asked poking the object. Danny swatted his hand away and pulled the brown parcel closer.

"I don't know but never you mind," he shot back. "Go poke your own mail you Neanderthal."

Steve frowned and tried to reach for the package again only to have his partner hold it out of arms reach.

"What are you, six? Go check your own mail!" Danny barked. Hesitating going for another round, Steve was stopped by a death stare of warning from his partner. Instead he lamented finally and headed back toward the office door.

"If that's anything edible from Jersey I'll find out Daniel," he snorted over his shoulder. "And by my command authority you will share!" He heard his partner mutter a curse before Steve closed the door and headed back to his office.

True enough there were four letters on his desk. Two were junk, one was an invitation to a Special Forces competition on the mainland and the third was from the office of the Governor. Deeming that letter the most important Steve opened it up quickly disregarding the small paper-cut he received in his mad haste.

Maybe it was a mission he needed to be sent on or a special request to fly to a foreign country to save some high ranking politicians child. Maybe all of Hawaii was a week away from complete annihilation and all that would save them was Steve strapping some weapons to his chest and taking out every bad guy in sight!

Or maybe...

Steve groaned outwardly as he read the very dull, very boring request for a copy of some files the Five-0 task force had from a case a million years ago that was now going to trial.

Even his mail was trying to wear on his last nerve. With a heavy sign Steve headed to his filing cabinet to find the requested items when he heard a bark of surprise out from Danny's office. Moments later Danny came shooting out of his office locking the door behind him.

The files instantly forgotten Steve rushed out to see what was going on and was joined by the cousins when he asked;

"Danny what? What is it?" Danny looked up at his teammates wide-eyed as if he hadn't expected them to be right next to him.

"It's nothing," he said a bit to quickly. Then with a rather oddly out-of-place smile he shook his head. "Honestly it's nothing. There's just something I have to do." Steve concern and curiosity skyrocketed.

"What? Danny what was in the package? Is it something we should be worried about?" He asked. Danny however, relaxed his shoulders and put a hand on Steve's shoulder giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"It's nothing to worry about," he said with certainty. "Just a reminder. Look I'm going to get out of here and take care of this but I need you three to swear on your mother's you'll stay out of my office for the weekend. Okay? Promise me."

Steve twitched. He was a man of Naval intelligence, he was a Navy SEAL but mostly he was just naturally curious. Being told "don't push the big red button" might as well have been a gun to his head saying "give'er".

However Danny didn't seem to be worried so at least Steve felt like there wasn't an immediate threat but still... Not knowing was killing him almost as much as his own boring mail.

And Danny had just left the package on his desk. Steve could see it... It was right there daring him to find out what was inside.

"You got it Danny," Chin nodded. "We'll all be out of the office this weekend anyway. Sure there's nothing to worry about?"

"Nothing," Danny nodded. "I just need to handle some completely innocent business and we'll be good to go Monday morning." Steve swallowed hard but tried not to let his trepidation show. Instead he nodded and shrugged as if he was all good too.

"Let's call it a half day," he said. "I'll call if anything comes up. Have a good weekend guys."

"Seriously?" Kono asked. She turned to Chin and smiled. "We leave now and we can still make Uncle Li'ani'i's nephew's luau. And you _know_ how good that man can roast a pig." Chin nodded his head and put a hand on her shoulder almost pushing her toward the door.

"I am definitely game for that," he replied. Without asking for any more permission the cousins were gone leaving Steve and Danny.

The two men looked at one another. Danny; with a raised and daring eyebrow while Steve maintained his hardened SEAL stare. Finally after a good long pause of Danny not moving from his office door and Steve not blinking, the Jersey detective waved his hands around.

"What?" He asked. "You're not going home?"

"I am," Steve replied; almost like he'd been caught reaching into the cookie jar moments before dinner. "I just... Want to make sure you're good."

"I am good," Danny answered immediately. Then with a frown leaned into the much taller dark-haired man and added, "Can I really trust you to stay out of my office till Monday?" Steve threw on his best insulted face and took a step back.

"Come on Danno, I have other things to do then wonder what you got in the mail for a weekend," he snorted. "I trust you, you trust me. End of."

"Good," Danny nodded. Then he turned checking to make sure his door was locked before heading to the main exit. "G*d willing I will see you Monday."

"Monday partner," Steve smiled. Retreating to his own office, Steve decided to be an adult about things and ignore the package on Danny's desk until the man was ready to show him what was inside.

Steve got the governor's files and put them into the interoffice mail then shut off his lights and readied to leave the office. He left his office and reached the double door exit, switching off the main lights of H.Q. when a glint caught his eye. He gave a perfect Navy pivot of his heels and turned to see what had drawn his attention.

Danny had left his desk light on.

The Jersey native had done this several times before but this was the first time Steve saw a perfect opportunity to slip into his partners office, shut off the light and maybe, _accidentally, _glance into the box on the man's desk.

Danny had locked the office but as Five-0's commanding officer he had a master-key to all his teammate's offices. Something Danny _knew_ and was undoubtedly using this as some sort of test. It had to be.

The light had been left on. Danny's desk was a mess of papers with that cursed package sitting on top. It almost wasn't so much that Steve wanted to know what was inside, he wanted the office to be contained, neat, and right now Danny's office was anything but.

_Danny_ was anything but and sometimes that was what made their partnership and friendship work so well. Now… Now it was just really pissing Steve off that the man couldn't simply take the time to organize his office before he ran off to do G*d knows what.

He couldn't even throw the package in his desk drawer?

"_Promise me_." His partner's words echoed through his head and Steve forced himself out the front door. He left the light on, he left the package open and he denied his borderline Obsessive Compulsive Disorder mind the satisfaction of making sure the office, his team's office, was squared away before leaving.

The drive home was painful but thankfully once home Steve cracked a beer... Or six and soon was able to blissfully ignore the nagging sensation of the box on Danny's desk.

_Almost._

Saturday morning was painful for other reasons. Steve had tried to drink away his curiosity by following those six beers with three more and a half bottle of wine.

Figuring he deserved the punishment Steve still hauled himself out of bed at seven am and ran quite literally until he puked up the night before. After that, a swim and finally a shower to try and make himself feel human again.

It was only when he was back in his kitchen making some stronger than chemically necessary coffee, did Steve see he had a message on his phone. A skipped heart beat later and he was listening to a message from Danny.

The man cryptically yet simply said; "Steve, yeah I might need Monday too. There's something I'm working on and since we're so quiet right now I think this is a good time to handle it. I'll be in touch okay? Don't worry and again stay out of my office just like you said you would."

Steve hung up his phone and tried Danny's cell.

No answer.

Steve twitched then twitched again. Danny had left his light on. He'd left that package unopened and he'd left papers all over his desk.

Twitching three more times Steve grabbed his spear fishing gear and heading out to the north shore.

The poor fish never had a chance against a Navy SEAL with aggravated obsessive tendencies. He zeroed in on them like a satellite on a terrorist compound and took them out like Samurai protecting his honor.

That night under a full moon Steve ate more than a necessary amount of fish and washed it down with an entire bottle Chardonnay. All the while, sitting in his makeshift tent on a quiet beach wondering why Danny hadn't just turned off that _damn_ light. As if he'd meant to have it light up that package to taunt his commanding officer.

Was Steve going on a bender for the weekend? Probably.

Was he exhausting his body to a point of collapsing? Arguably undoubtedly.

Was he determined to hold onto the trust he had for Danny? That the man would never lie to him if it was a serious situation? Damn right he would. Danny would not lead him astray, even if he was a mess and wore ties in the middle of summer.

Sunday afternoon, when Steve finally hauled his overfed drunken-self out of bed, he was beyond pain. He was beyond confusion and concern, he was down right obsessed.

Friday night he'd barely slept. Saturday night he hadn't slept a wink and now, as tired as he was, all he wanted to do was see what was in that package and turn of that light. If Danny was going to take Monday off he'd have to accept that Hawaii was an environmentally conscious State and the lights should be off when someone wasn't in the room.

Sunday evening found Steve standing in front of Danny's office door at Five-0 headquarters. He didn't dare touch the door handle but couldn't tear his eyes away from that light and the package it lit up on Danny's desk.

"Steve?" Nearly drawing his weapon the Commander spun around to find Chin standing just inside the headquarters' doorway with a curious look on his face.

"Hey…" Steve said trying to hide his nerves. Then he frowned and shook his head from his obsession. "What are you doing here on a Sunday?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Chin replied. Steve stood taller, forcing himself to ignore his current obsession and shrug.

"The Governor wanted some files and after Danny's show on Friday I forgot to put them in the mail bag for tomorrow," he lied perfectly. Or so he thought. Chin glanced at Danny's office and then back to Steve.

"Right, I got that notice too," he replied. "Actually, I sent off all of our files expecting as much redundancy from a politician's office. It was a lolo case that we were only involved in because some low-level dirt bag we tripped over had connection to something H.P.D. was working on. I was actually kind of surprised the Governor wanted our files but I gave them to him anyway… You okay Steve?"

Snapping his neck almost at a painful angle Steve shrugged his shoulders and shook his head with a forced smile.

"Yeah, yeah totally," he replied. "I just wanted to make sure it'd been sent out for Monday." Chin nodded with a smile though his wise eyes were clearly reading deeper into the situation than Steve was hoping he'd let on.

After a moment's pause, the Hawaiian cousin tried again;

"You sure you're okay brah?" he asked. Steve tried to still his pounding heart and ordered himself to march toward the exit. Orders always worked with a Navy SEAL even if they came from his own head.

"Fine," he replied. "Just got caught up in Danny leaving his light on again, he said he was going to need Monday off and after handling those files I was thinking of turning it off."

"You going to turn it off?" Chin asked just as Steve reached the main door and pulled it open. Desperately hoping his teammate didn't see his flinch of aggravation, Steve shrugged but didn't turn.

"I'm not his mother. And when he comes back on Tuesday…" (the words tasted like venom on his tongue and stabbed into his mind like a razor blade.) "…We'll make sure he knows not to do it again. Coffee on him for the next two weeks, Chin." The joke was thankfully taken in kind as the Hawaiian detective chuckled and nodded.

"I've got your back on that one," he replied. Steve thought he was finally going to be left alone to check his partner's office but unfortunately Chin turned back to his own office with a happy wave. "Forgot I needed to finish a report for a conference call I'm doing with Las Vegas P.D. on Tuesday. Thanks for the reminder Steve. Night." Steve reigned in all of his rather startling emotions at that point and chuckled.

"Aloha," he replied.

The man barely managed to get his truck back to his home without crashing into a mailbox. One inside his house Steve huddled himself at his kitchen table and rocked himself back and forth thinking about the gambit of possibilities that his partner was hiding from him.

Oddly even more importantly was the reasoning for why Danny hadn't turned off the light on his desk. Steve just… couldn't get passed it.

_Wouldn't_ get passed it.

Monday morning came around and this time Steve knew he had a problem. He woke up at seven, two hours after he normally woke up and left a message on Chin's phone saying he wasn't going to be in for the day. He built up some story about the military needing him for a training exorcise and ran with it. It sounded completely believable.

He refused to admit Danny had gotten the better of him and that he wanted to, _needed, _to see what was in that box and to turn off the environment destroying fire bulb of a light on Danny's desk.

Yet for some reason even though every inch of him pulsed with adrenaline unspent and ached with muscles begging for attention; he trusted Danny. He trusted the man would contact him if something was wrong.

Steve was officially screwed.

It was only around Monday afternoon did Steve's militaristic brain finally start to cue in that something wasn't quite right. He couldn't stop shaking and his mind couldn't focus on anything but the light in Danny's office and the package on the man's desk.

Enough was enough, sure Danny hadn't answered the phone when he'd called the other night but this was more than that. Surely, if Steve called him now, a day when Danny's was off but knew Steve would still be in the office, the man would at least calm him by saying all his paranoia was all in his head.

So Steve called the number and when he got the answering machine his pulse leapt into full gear. Danny had to be okay, he'd never risk his daughter without throwing Steve into the mix to save them both.

"Danny… uh, hey, it's Steve," the Navy SEAL said stupidly. "So um…" What the hell was he supposed to say without admitting he wanted to get into the man's office and see what was in that little brown wrapped box. "So aah…" he tried again. "Just… haven't heard… Chin, saw him on Sunday at the office… not that I was trying to see the office, I just… was there… stuff you know?"

Pulling the phone away from his ear Steve frowned, he wasn't making sense and he knew that. Yet for some reason, he knew the message had to be left.

"So yeah, Danny, you left your office light on. I know you wanted everyone… wanted _me_ to stay out but ah… we've got a budget right? Electricity and everything… just give me a ring and I ah… I have to give Chin or Kono the key and they can shut the light off. I swear up and down Danno I wont go into your office because you know how I am. I'll send them and you know they'll be good. I just, _need _that light to be turned off Danny. I know you'll get that after the "frittata" incident. Regardless, if you're in trouble or if you need me… Call me. I mean it, if you need anything… Damn, what? Sh**… I'll see you tomorrow…"

That message was the clincher. Steve barely plopped his cell down on the kitchen table before stumbling into his living room desperate for his couch. His migraine was driving knives into his skull, the stress of not knowing if his partner was okay was creating all kinds of knots in his muscle tissue which drove into his brain and all he wanted to do at the moment was sleep.

He crawled halfway up his stairs when he realized he just didn't have the energy to go any farther. Figuring he'd just put his head down on the top step, Steve closed his eyes hoping he'd feel better in a few hours…

Danny Williams was feeling pretty guilty and more than a little concerned. He Chin and Kono had gathered at Five-0 H.Q. Tuesday morning ready to celebrate when they'd gotten a phone call from some girl named "Lelani" saying Steve, her snorkeling instructor hadn't shown up for their regular lesson. Apparently Steve had always told her if that was the case, call Five-0, ask for Danny Williams and let them know he'd missed it. She was a local teen who lived down the street from Steve and swam on the same private beach.

Danny's first reaction was to hesitate in his own sneaky preparations. It was the four-year anniversary for Five-0 and Chin, Kono and Danny had wanted to make it a good one. However considering how ninja like Steve had been on past anniversaries Danny figured he needed to be a lot cleverer with this one.

He, and the Hawaiian cousins had planned for almost a month to set everything up right but now, he was seriously considering if he'd gone to far. From throwing Steve off the scent of what they were really doing; right down to the gift that had almost not made it on time. In fact it was Sunday morning that he got the call that the gift would be ready Monday. So Danny had called Steve, told him he needed Monday too to postpone the surprise until they had the present for their leader.

Everything was working perfectly and for once it seemed like Five-0 could get away with being happy.

However it seemed the fates were against the team having the chance to get in a good ribbing with one another.

The call had come just after one PM, Akumela, the mailroom guy blubbered out an apology for almost a minute straight before he pulled himself together and said;

"I'm so glad you're okay Detective Williams! My friend… well _ex-friend_, I thought he was a good guy, you know brah? Then I find out he's been taken in by the po-po and he's wanted for a whole lot of charges! He laced my mail bag with some kind'a drug detective! I'm just glad you're okay brah, my job's gone with H.P.D., I get that, yeah? But you guys, Five-0, you guys have always been real nice to me… I just wanted to make sure you're all good."

Danny had heard the genuine concern in the man's voice and the genuine regret for what had transpired. He'd follow up with Aku but at the moment, he had more pressing matters to deal with.

As he raced towards Steve's home he'd receive info from Chin about the drug that had laced the mail they'd received. Yes it had made several of the people who'd gotten the mail a little ill but none had suffered severe consequences. Apparently, according to Akumela and the toxicology report, it was only someone who'd been exposed through their blood within the first hour of exposure that risked serious consequences.

Danny didn't know how, when or where but he knew Steve and Five-0 lead dangerous lives with blood-letting as a job description. They hadn't been active recently but the way Chin had described Steve's behavior on Sunday suddenly things weren't that funny anymore.

The first reaction the Jersey detective had was to laugh hysterically when Chin had told him Steve had hovered outside Danny's office, ogling what lay beyond and then excusing it as "Danny left his lights on." Then Monday he'd received what sounded like a drunken message from the Commander and he'd struggled to keep himself together it was so funny.

When Danny'd come in Tuesday morning expecting a face full of raging Steve McGarrett only to find a face full of concerned Chin and Kono, his heart sank into his stomach.

Maybe he'd taken the anniversary to far. Steve was like a brother and he'd destroy him like one in terms of humor and humility but he'd never want to actually hurt the man to a point of emotional concern. Now as he whizzed through the Oahu streets he realized that phone call on Monday had been a cry for help not a drunk dial.

And Danny had ignored it. He'd laughed at it.

Steve's front door was locked but Danny quickly used the spare key he had and raced through the first floor of the house only to find a quiet nothing. He was about to give up and call in the forensics lab when he heard a soft moan from the stairs.

Wasting no time, Danny reached his downed partner at the apex of the stairs and sucked in a deep breath at the sight.

"Steve? Steve can you hear me?" he begged. After a moment, Steve, pale, shaking and gasping managed to pry his eyes open half way and look at his partner.

"D'ny?" he slurred. "N'dn't go in yer 'ffice… w'n'to b'didn't. Trust you brah. M'sorry." If Danny hadn't been so concentrated on taking care of the ailing man his guilt would have kicked up several more notches at that last comment.

Steve trusted him so much he'd ignored his own problem out of worry for his partner.

Panicking only a little, Danny quickly dialed 911 with his phone while using Steve's that was on the man's belt to dial Kono.

"Sorry about what Sasquatch? Eating too many Kelp and shrimp burgers? You're going to be fine babe, just fine okay? Just stick with me," Danny replied. After practically yelling out his badge number and "officer down" Danny finally allowed himself to pay attention to the other phone he had in is hand.

When Kono's voice finally registered in the Jersey native's brain Danny simply said, "Steve's 911, call you when I know more." In his arms Steve mewed out a pathetic attempt at undistinguishable words before curling into Danny's arms before becoming completely unresponsive to the waking world.

Steve came too and felt like his entire body weighed several tones more than it should. His tongue was two sizes to big and his mouth seemed like it was stuffed with cotton. That or he'd eaten a beach worth of sand. With a groan worthy of a zombie movie, he forced his eyes open deciding he needed to find out what exactly was going on.

He was in a small hospital room, I.V.'s stuck into both arms and a nasal cannulae jammed up his nose. Well he expected a hospital, he just couldn't quite remember how he'd gotten there or what he'd done to put him there.

"You with me big guy?" Realizing he'd yet to look away from the ceiling, Steve slowly turned his throbbing head where he found Danny sitting next to his hospital bed looking pretty beat himself.

"Yeah," Steve croaked. He rubbed his sore throat before gratefully accepting some water from his partner. A few sips later and Steve was starting to feel a bit more like himself. "How'd I get here?" he asked.

"I found you passed out at the top of your stairs," Danny replied. "What do you remember?" Steve closed his eyes for a second, searching his memory. Everything passed Friday was a bit of a blur but the more he thought the more bits and pieces jumped out at him.

A moment later his eyes opened and this time when he groaned it was out of sheer embarrassment.

"Oh my god I made an ass out of myself didn't I?" he grunted. Danny's face dropped open in shock.

"What?" he asked. Steve shook his head not quite registering his partner's facial expression.

"You left your light on and the package… Jesus I went on a bender and ended up collapsing didn't I? I mean, I don't remember much but… I don't think I slept all that much. There were fish… I think…"

"Steve," Danny cut him off. Steve looked at his partner and finally registered there was something there on the man's face.

"What?" he asked. Danny just snorted and shook his head with a sigh.

"Happy Anniversary," the Jersey detective said. Steve blinked not quite getting what was going on.

"What?" he parroted. Danny pulled a small wrapped package off the table behind him where Steve hadn't been able to see and handed it to the sick man. Steve took it in confusion.

"It's been four years since we became a team," Danny explained as Steve looked at the small gift. "Chin, Kono and I had put you on the run around to distract your from the party we were planning on throwing." Steve's attention left his small gift and he focused on Danny's face.

"What?" he said yet again. Danny smirked but continued his explanation.

"There was nothing in that box Steve," he replied. "I sent it to myself because I knew I could get you to focus on it and nothing else while we set things up and got your gift for you. It came late that's why I had to pretend I needed Monday off too." Steve couldn't believe it, he looked at the small present in his hands and honestly didn't know what to do at the moment.

"Steve?" Danny questioned. The Navy SEAL just shook his head realizing he needed to say something.

"I just…" he looked up at his partner. "I've never had a _happy_ anniversary to celebrate," he said honestly. "And the last three years…"

"We've all been on a case or busy," Danny nodded. He pointed to the package, "Open it." The child inside Steve didn't waste a second tearing off what little wrapping paper there was and opening the small black box that lay beyond.

Inside it was a watch, it was old and it looked like it wasn't even working. It's glass was cracked and slightly crusted with a white substance. At first Steve was confused but then he gently took the object and turned it over, the inscription on the back made his eyes go wide and his heart skip a beat;

"_My darling seaman McGarrett, I'll love you forever, Agnes."_

Agnes being his grandmother's name, this watch was his grandfathers. His grandfather who died at Pearl Harbor. Steve looked up at Danny in shock.

"How did you get a hold of this?" he asked incredulously. Danny nodded to the broken watch.

"Divers salvaged a lot of things from Pearl over the years," he explained. "This started out in a military warehouse for collection a month after Pearl happened. It bounced around and wouldn't you believe it ended up in a private collection in New York. I called in a few favors with P.D. there and managed to get it returned to the family of its owner." Steve couldn't believe it, he just shook his head as he delicately handled the object thought lost decades ago.

"Danny I… I just don't know what to say," he replied. Danny winced and sat back.

"Hopefully it doesn't start with "you're fired"," he half joked. "I didn't mean to leave you high and dry when you needed help. Looks like our diversion tactic worked so well it fooled the rest of us as well." Still feeling heavy and remembering he was in a hospital Steve put the watch down and looked at his partner.

"What happened anyway?" he asked. Danny rolled his eyes and shook his head, hands flailing.

"Turns out some local had a beef with H.P.D, he laced the mail with a mild homemade neurotoxin," the man explained. Adrenaline shot through Steve and his eyes widened.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked. Danny was quick to put a hand on his knee.

"Everyone's fine," he replied. "You got the worst of it because of the cut on your finger." Steve glanced at the paper cut that was now red and swollen, he sighed.

"I thought I was just letting my O.C.D. get the better of me," he replied. When he looked up Danny was looking beyond guilty not even able to look Steve in the eye.

"I'm sorry," the Jersey detective replied. Steve however smiled and shook his head.

"Don't be," he laughed. Danny's head shot up and he looked confused so Steve decided to explain. "Danny… look at all the trouble you three went through to make this a big deal. If there hadn't been a toxin involved… I'm impressed seriously you really got me buddy. I mean you guys got me good." Danny didn't look convinced.

"Steve, if that toxin hadn't been a mild one-"

"Then I would have had people around me who'd go to the ends of the Earth to find the bastard that hurt me," Steve replied. He shook his head and laughed again despite the growing fatigue. "I think this might actually be the best anniversary I've ever experienced, and the watch… Thanks Danno, I wish there were stronger words." Danny let a small smile slip before shaking his head and standing up.

"I'm going to get out of here before you start looking for a hug," he chuckled. "Chin's making sure the idiot that caused this is getting the full "Five-0" experience before getting sent to prison."

"And Kono?" Steve asked.

"On her way here to take the next "Steve watch"," Danny smiled. Normally Steve would tell people he was fine, he didn't need them there to watch him but for some reason he held his tongue. It was nice to have people care about him but more so it was nice to have people who would remember him if he were to be taken out by some nobody scumbag. "You good for a few minutes?" Danny asked.

For a second, Steve just looked at his partner, than a smile nearly split his tired face wide open.

"I am," he nodded. "And Danny?"

"Yes Steven?"

"Thanks for this," he said raising the watch. He put it down and waved a hand in the air, "Thanks for everything." Danny paused but returned the smile with his own hand wave before slipping out the door.

A few days later, Steve sat comfortably in a deck chair on his lanai. Surrounding him were his Five-0 teammates, Kamekona (who was handling the grill) Grace, Rachel and even Stan. Next to them where some of the tech-support people for the Governor's special task force and a handful of H.P.D. members, like Duke, who'd always been there to back up Five-0 when necessary.

It was a big beach luau and although a few days late, everyone was celebrating Five-0's four-year anniversary in style. The smile simply wouldn't leave Steve's face as his grandfather's watch proudly sat on the mantel in his home office.

Years had gone by in Steve's life where he'd felt like the only one who had his back was himself. He was determined to be self-serving and to never have to rely on anyone else.

Then he'd woken up in a hospital bed with his best friend next to him and it had felt good. He'd heard what Danny had been planning, what the team had been planning and he felt _loved. _It was also the fact that Steve was certain he would have been lying on those stairs for much longer, possibly even fatally, if he didn't have people who cared about him.

Danny allowed Grace to shove a hot dog in his mouth before she ran off with Kono giggling all the way. The Jersey native, hot dog and all ambled over to Steve and flopped down in the chair next to him. A bite and a few chews later he turned to face Steve who was grinning at him.

"Whaf?" Danny slurred through a mouthful of food. Steve laughed, he laughed because he finally felt like he had people who care about him. He laughed because he _knew_ he had people who would never let him down and always be there for him.

He laughed to a point of tears because no matter what, even if he were to die because of some crazed local with a beef against police, his body would be taken care of. He wouldn't die in a ditch in the middle of nowhere with maggots as for a funeral procession.

His laughter got to a point that it hurt his still recovering body but finally after gasping back some air and giving a grateful nod to Danny who handed him a bottle of water, Steve gave his partner a sturdy whump on the back.

"Eh! I'm eatin' here! You're going to make me choke to death!" the Jersey native coughed. Steve just laughed again before shaking his head and leaning forward.

"Danny?" The detective looked at him oddly as if expecting a punch in the face or if Steve had grown a third arm.

"What?" he replied suspiciously. Steve put a hand on Danny's shoulder and he squeezed just tight enough to let the man know he'd never let go, of their professional partnership, friendship and belief in each other as a good person. Danny's eyes lit up a bit and he smiled giving a nod of understanding and appreciation.

"I should have just gone in and turned off that damn light," Steve joked. Danny laughed and rolled his eyes, shoving Steve's hand away.

"Then you would have been rabidly running around Oahu chasing black helicopters," the detective grinned. After a short pause Danny shook his head and added, "This team has kicked my a** six ways from Sunday and you know what Steven?"

"What's that Danno?" Danny extended his hand and Steve took it without hesitation.

"It pains me to admit this but… I've never felt like my job meant more to me, to Grace and to society than it does right now," the detective smiled. "Grace has got three new parents out of this copper pot of crazy but you know what she's got most of all Steve?"

"What's that?" Steve asked. Danny raised a mischievous eyebrow and winked before standing to walk away.

"She's got a personal body-guard for life who can get away with murder and wont be swayed by her doe eyed stare of submission," he said. Steve laughed as Danny spun in the sand and pointed at him adding, "I wouldn't hesitate to leave Grace in your care, Steve… don't take that lightly."

Steve took a breath. The first breath it felt like he'd taken in years and as he looked his partner and friend in the eye he said, he _promised_;

"I wont."

Danny's grin got even wider only to be suddenly drenched when Chin, Kono and Grace unloaded all the fire power they had loaded into their super-soaker water guns. Danny yelped out and dropped to the ground flailing like a fish out of water. Grace abandoned the assault and hopped onto Steve's lap throwing her arms around his neck.

"Happy Five-0 anniversary Uncle Steve!" she squeaked. "Will you teach me how to spear fish?" Steve never got out an answer as the little girls waterlogged father jammed a finger in his direction as he struggled to his feet and barked out;

"Don't you even think about it Steven, don't you _dare_!" Steve just smiled, ignored her father and looked at the happy little girl.

"How does next Sunday sound?"

"Oh _HELL_ no!" Danny squawked.

* * *

**Aaah I just love broments... and whumpage... ha ha.**

**Hope you liked this! Reviews welcome and loved!**

**WofOz**


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